The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-18
PRESIDENTIAL POVERTY.
Relatives of Great Men Whose Lives Have
Been Cast in Unpleasant Places.

Relatives of Great Men Whose Lives Have
Been Cast in Unpleasant Places.
Washington Letter in New York World.
A niece of Andrew jackson had to beg for a
nights lodging at Washington hotel this week.
Sixty years old and without a cent in her pocket,
she arrived here from Washington Territory
her way to her friends at Staunton, Va. Her
transportation from Chicago mad been furnished
by charity, aud is was charity that gave her q
nights rest here and sent her on her way South.
she had three grandchildren with her and she
was absolutely destitute. She has many friends
AZ Staunton, and she seemed bright and cheer
full in tho midst Of her trouble. The children
were well dressed. and they showed no signs OF
the sorrow which seems to hang over the rela-
tives and de scendants of our Presidents.
Thomas Jefferson's granddaughter. Septima
MeiNeham, died here recently, leaving several
grandchildren to battle with the world One OF
her sons, owing to severe sickness is not at all
strong mentally. One of her daughters is not
well enough to work, and the other Is employed
in one of the government departments. An
other great-granddaughter of Jefferson has
charge of q school in Baltimore. and Monticello
has long since passed out of the hands of the
family. just before Jefferson died he was so
much II debt that lottery scheme was gotten
ND to sell his property and relieve his necessi-
ties. Hs left practically nothing to his children,
and they received some two sums of $4,000 each
from the Legislatures of two of the Southern
States.
John Tyler loft some property. but it all went
TO his second wife, One of his sons, General
John Tylsr, who drove q four Inland while his
father was in the White House. and who was
then called the handsomeest man in Washing
ton, liveso off position in the Treasury Depart
ment, and one of Tyler's most accomplished
daughters lady who presided over the execu-
tive mansisn after her mothers death and until
her father married Julia Gardner, is a guest at
Corcoran's OLD Ladies' Home here. man who
claims to BE- one of the Washington family, and
who by the way, has a face strikiugly like that
of the President, peddles trinkets in little
booth in the Pension Building. Dolly Madison.
the Presidents wife, was, during part of her
last days, furnished food by a colored man who
had been in President Madson's service. She
got. however. a large sum of money from Con-
gress for Madsons papers, and it was this that
eased her declining years.
Most of the Presidents have died poor aud
few of them hive made much out of Office hold
ing Monroe vas SO poor that his latter days
were spent With his sonin-law. Samuel L.
Gouverneur, in New York. and there he died
Harrison left nothing to speak Of Polk left
about $780, 600 including Polk Place, at Nash
vile, where hiswidow now lives It is valua-
Bile block of ground in the center of tho town.
which has risenlafgely in value since the Presi-
dents death. a.
Martin Van Btren made money out Of poll
tics. He started life poor and died wellto-do.
One estimate puB his estate at $500. 900. and he
made money in real estate as we'll as in law.
Both OF the Adanses were money-savers, if not
money-makers- The letters of John Adams.
the second Presiieat, to his wife. Abigail re-
peatedly urge hertz cut down the household
expenses and to pfactice economy. He lunched
himself on oat-cske and lemonade. and he
walked far oftenerth than he rode.
John Quincy Adams received nearly q half
million dollars fror. the government in salaries